Devastating Storms Plunge Russia and Ukraine into Darkness and Destruction

Hurricane winds and heavy flooding have left approximately 1.9 million people without power in southern Russia and illegally annexed Ukrainian regions. The worst affected areas include Dagestan, Krasnodar, Rostov, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea. At least four storm-related deaths have been reported, and the storm is also impacting Moldova, Georgia, and Bulgaria. Moscow and Crimea experienced heavy snowfall and flooding, while Ukraine's southern regions faced snowstorms and fierce winds. A state of emergency has been declared in several municipalities in Crimea, and a massive clean-up operation is underway in Ukraine.